Summer Preview 2015
What child doesn’t love summer? Children in your area will love it even more once they hear
about the 12 weeks of fun we’re offering. What’s more, it’s designed with YOU in mind. The 12week format from last year remains this year, making execution a snap—after last year, you’re
already an expert!
What is the summer program for 2015?
Summer 2015 introduces new summer programs but with a familiar look and feel. Preschool and
Prekindergarten now have two new summer manuals each. Each manual contains three new units, and
together they complete the Early Foundations® curriculum programs for three- and four-year-olds. Like
last year, the School-age still has six two-week units, but with brand-new themes!
When does the summer program begin?
The Preschool and Prekindergarten summer programs start after the completion of the spring
curriculum. The summer program for School-age will be held during your local public school’s official
summer break, so the start date varies by location.
What’s new this year?
This year brings all new themes to each age level. Preschool and Prekindergarten summer take on a
familiar format, aligning with the Fall, Winter, and Spring Early Foundations® manuals, complete with a
Teacher’s Guide and Summer Kit. School-age brings new manuals that are no longer “disposable” and
will be used to create a summer program library for future use. Not only does School-age come with
new manuals and fun new themes, but it also includes a focus on 21st Century Learning Skills, such as
critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity.
Why is a summer program important?
It is important to let our currently enrolled families know that your center is a great place for their
children to spend their summer break. This is especially important for families whose children only
spend their time before and after school with us, and for our Preschool and Prekindergarten families
who might not know about the variety of exciting units we offer in the summer. Summer is a great time
to encourage those families to convert to full-time, and our exciting summer program is the reason!
Summer is also the perfect time to enroll new families looking for fun and educational activities for their
children over the summer months. We want to let these families know that your center offers a great
summer experience all summer long, and also let them know that it is different from our regular schoolyear curriculum.
Now let’s take a sneak peek at this year’s offerings!
1
School Age Program Overview
We’ve come up with six packed-with-fun themes perfect for the range of interests of the School-age set.
Here is a quick preview of what we have in store and some suggestions for field trips and visitors:
SUPERHEROES AMONG US
Children will love discovering their “inner superheroes” in this thrilling unit. Children reflect on their own
positive qualities and interests as well as “super” abilities they wish they had to create superhero
identities and costumes. Children will also write about using their super qualities and abilities for the
good of their communities. These superheroes will also learn about super foods that fuel their bodies,
and create gifts for the heroes in their own lives.
Suggested Field Trips and Visitors:
 Invite people in different career fields to talk with the children about what personal skills,
strengths, and interests led them to make their career choices.
 Research and visit places that allow children to participate in gross-motor play, such as parks
and playgrounds, where they can be free to run and use their imaginations.
OUR SCHOOL-AGE STORE
Calling all entrepreneurs! Children open a classroom store where they sell self-made products while
learning about marketing, pricing, and inventory. During the first week, children spend their time
developing business skills needed to operate a business and producing goods to be sold. In the second
week, children open the School-Age Store, refine their business skills, and are motivated to earn
“School-Age Bucks” to purchase products in the classroom store. Grab your wallets and shopping carts
and get ready for a learning experience of a lifetime.
Suggested Field Trips and Visitors:
 Invite a small-business owner from the community to come talk with the children about what it
takes to open and maintain a business.
 Research and visit a retail store so children can see how a retail business operates. Ask the store
owner or manager to explain the check-out area, give a tour of the employee breakroom, and
describe how employee hours are scheduled.
 Research and visit a local bank and ask a banker to give children an age-appropriate tutorial on
money management.
ALL ABOUT JUNGLES AND RAINFORESTS
Monkeys, parrots, and sloths, oh my! Making a rainforest canopy, creating a four-layer rainforest
diorama, and choosing exotic animals to research and share are some of the fun and adventurous
learning activities in this unit. Children get proactive and learn about rainforest environment threats and
create posters to educate others on what they can do to help preserve and protect rainforests.
Special Events and Field Trips:
 Invite a naturalist from your city’s parks and recreation department to talk with the children
about the local plants and animals in your area, and any threats to local wildlife or plant life.
 Hold a bake sale or fundraiser to raise money for organizations whose work involves protecting
the threatened rainforests and jungles of the world.
 Research & visit a recycling center to learn about the process and importance of recycling paper.
2
PUZZLING PUZZLES
This brain-buster camp focuses on creating and solving a variety of puzzles including crossword puzzles,
mazes, word searches, math and number puzzles, and jigsaw puzzles. Children also work collaboratively
in teams to solve riddles, decode brain teasers, practice pantomimes, and play outdoor games.
Special Events and Field Trips:
 Research and visit a science or technology museum where children explore and try to solve
puzzling scientific questions.
 Acquire large floor puzzles.
MIXED-UP FAIRY TALES
Exploring fairy tales is more exciting than ever in this mixed-up fairy tale unit. Children have fun creating
alternate endings and silly twists to traditional fairy tales and create their own fairy tales, too! Telling
stories from a new character’s perspective, experimenting with transferring characters from one story
to another and exploring traditional fairy tale features make this unit humorous and exciting from every
“once upon a time” beginning to every “happily ever after” ending.
Special Events and Field Trips:
 Visit the children’s section of a local library and look for the section of traditional and “mixedup” fairy tales. If possible, arrange for the children’s librarian to read one or more stories aloud
to the children and talk about the process of borrowing books from the library.
 Invite an author or storyteller to visit the classroom to share stories and talk about the art of
storytelling.
 Research child-appropriate, nonviolent films incorporating traditional or modified fairy tales to
view with the children.
CLASH OF THE COLORS
This action-packed unit is filled with team competitions during which children can earn points for
accomplishments and effort as they compete in games. During this unit, children learn about the color
wheel, participate in experiments using primary and secondary colors, and work collaboratively with
other team members during science, sensory, and math lessons as they explore and learn about mixing
colors, light refraction, and chemical reactions. No matter what the color, children are sure to have a
blast in this unit.
Special Events and Field Trips:
 Invite people from creative or artistic fields to talk with the children about how they use and
work with color in their chosen fields.
 Visit a local art museum or gallery, and have the children bring paper and drawing tools for
sketching.
 Invite a local athlete or coach to visit the class and talk about healthy competition and good
sportsmanship.
3
Preschool Program Overview
Summer is the perfect time to indulge the natural curiosities of Preschool age children. Our six
units designed specifically for their age and skill level are:
Staying Safe
Children will learn about what it means to be safe at home, at school, and in the community. From
learning about germs and crossing the street, to stranger awareness and calling 911, children will play
games, sing songs, and explore all the different ways to stay safe!
Exploring the Arts
Children will sing, dance, draw, paint, and explore acting as they learn about the arts. While learning
about music, they will listen to songs from around the world and have opportunities to make their own
musical instruments. Discussions about art and hands-on experience will help them to understand the
use of lines, shapes, and colors in art. Dance and drama will encourage them to move creatively and to
express themselves as they interact with others.
Spectacular Science
Children will explore their natural curiosity as they learn about various science concepts. From lights and
shadows to understanding how things move, children will get hands-on experience. They will have the
opportunity to explore science in the classroom and outdoors and use what they have learned to
explore the outside world.
All About Books
Children will be introduced to the wide world of books. Children will learn about the parts of a book,
explore the roles of author and illustrator, and learn about fiction and nonfiction books. They will learn
about different types of books, talk about reasons to read, places they enjoy reading, people they enjoy
reading with, and learn how to talk about books and share them with others.
Foods and Flavors
Children will participate in a variety of activities involving food preparation, discussing the origins of
food, identifying food groups, and making healthful food choices. Children will explore many different
foods and learn about their flavors, textures, shapes, and colors. Children will also learn about using
appropriate handwashing and food-washing practices, making food choices based on preferences and
health benefits, and using kitchen tools safely.
Shapes and Colors
Children will explore four basic shapes and ten different colors during a variety of activities. Children will
work with different art tools and media, such as paint, play dough, colored gel in plastic bags, and
colored water. Children will also learn about the lines, edges, and corners that create basic shapes, and
will have opportunities to build their own shapes using classroom materials.
4
Prekindergarten Program Overview
Summer is the perfect time to indulge the natural curiosities of Prekindergarten age children.
Our six units designed specifically for their age and skill level are:
Staying Safe
Children will learn about what it means to be safe at home, at school, and in the community. From
learning about germs and crossing the street, to stranger awareness and calling 911, children will play
games, sing songs, and explore all the different ways to stay safe!
Exploring the Arts
Children will sing, dance, draw, paint, and explore acting as they learn about the arts. While learning
about music, they will listen to songs from around the world and have opportunities to make their own
musical instruments. Discussions about art and hands-on experience will help them to understand the
use of lines, shapes, and colors in art. Dance and drama will encourage them to move creatively and to
express themselves as they interact with others.
Spectacular Science
Children will explore a variety of science concepts related to the natural world around them and by
looking at photographs of natural formations such as rivers, mountains, and deserts. Children will also
learn about the importance of conservation and what it means to reduce, reuse, and recycle through
developmentally appropriate activities that include songs, active games, writing and math activities, and
outdoor play and exploration.
All About Books
Children will be introduced to the wide world of books. Children will learn about the parts of a book,
explore the roles of author and illustrator, and learn about fiction and nonfiction books. They will learn
about different types of books, talk about reasons to read, places they enjoy reading, people they enjoy
reading with, and learn how to talk about books and share them with others.
Foods and Flavors
Children will participate in a variety of activities involving food preparation, discussing different flavors,
identifying food groups, and making healthful food choices. Children will explore many different foods
and learn about food as fuel for their active and growing bodies, as well as learning about appropriate
hand-washing practices and making food choices based on preferences and health benefits.
Alphabet Letters
Children will learn and review uppercase and lowercase letters and the sounds of letters. They will learn
new letters each day and will have frequent opportunities to review all of the letters they have learned.
Children will also work together to create a large class alphabet book to share with families and keep in
the library after the unit is complete.
5